1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and system for providing digital content via the Internet and, more particularly, to a method and system for allowing clients to up-load, manage, and deliver streaming media content via the Internet.
2. Description of Related Art
With the advent of the Internet and the World Wide Web, an industry has developed around the delivery of digital content, such as streaming media content. By way of example, streaming media may be used for any of a number of purposes, including entertainment, distance learning and corporate purposes. Entertainment companies stream movies and sporting events, distance learning companies stream educational content, and corporations stream training materials.
Although some streaming media content providers may have relatively few items of content to provide, some content providers have hundreds, even thousands of content files. Storing and streaming this number of content files can be costly. Furthermore, streaming content requires a level of technical expertise often not found in companies focusing on creating content. Consequently, content providers have turned to content management service providers to store and stream content on behalf of the content providers.
As more content providers turn to service providers for their streaming technology needs, service providers must manage more client accounts and greater numbers of content files. Furthermore, to maintain existing content provider clients and attract new clients, service providers must provide a content management system that not only is capable of organizing large numbers of content files, but also is easy for the content providers to use. Accordingly, there exists a need for a content management system that allows clients to easily up-load, manage, and deliver streaming media content via the Internet.
3. Summary of the Invention
The present invention solves the foregoing and other needs. In certain embodiments, a method and system is provided for allowing client content providers to upload, manage and deliver streaming media and other digital content. The system according to one embodiment receives digital content from the client, assigns a stream identifier (ID) to the content and stores the content. The client is given a playlist uniform resource locator (URL) for publishing on its web site, the URL including the stream ID. Activation of the URL by an end user causes the stream to be served to the end user, without the client receiving or providing an indication of the specifics of where the content was stored.
Another embodiment of the present invention permits clients to actively manage their content, including defining logical folders and subfolders containing item(s) of content; defining logical stream groups, containing items of content.
A system according to one embodiment of the present invention couples one or more media servers to a storage server. While the storage server has stored a copy of the content, the media servers coupled thereto do not. In operation, the media servers perform a read of the contents stored at the storage server when requested by an end user.
Another embodiment includes a system and method for facilitating access by users to digital content of one or more clients, the clients having client identifying information. Such a system includes one or more remote sites, each comprising one or more first servers configured to receive digital content from clients, the digital content to be available to users via the remote sites. The system also includes a central site geographically remote from the remote sites, the central site comprising one or more ingest queue servers to direct transfer of digital content to one or more of the first servers based on the client identifying information.